"US and South Korea Launch Joint Military Drills Amid North Korean Tensions"

South Korea and the United States have commenced large annual military exercises to enhance their preparedness against North Korean nuclear threats, with the North having conducted over 100 rounds of missile tests since early 2022. The exercises involve computer-simulated command post training and a variety of field exercises, including live-firing, bombing, air assault, and missile interception drills. North Korea regards these drills as a rehearsal for invasion and has responded with provocative weapons tests. The heightened tensions are believed to be linked to upcoming elections in the U.S. and South Korea, with North Korea seeking to bolster its leverage in future diplomacy.